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"Sedgley parish is a large and populous district, in the centre of the great mining district of Staffordshire, lying betwixt Wolverhampton, Bilston and Dudley, and extending to within two miles of each town. It contains 5170 acres of land, and has now about 27,000 inhabitants. It is in two divisions, called Upper and Lower Side, sub-divided into nine constablewicks or hamlets, viz - Sedgley, Gospel End, Cotwall End, and Upper & Lower Gornal, in the Upper Side, and Ettingshall, Brierley, Coseley, and Wood Setton, in the Lower Side.
Lord Ward is lord of the manor, but the Rev JL Petit has a large estate, and there are a considerable number of smaller freeholders and copyholders in this parish, which abounds with excellent coal, ironstone, limestone, freestone, and clay for bricks. The coal and iron works are mostly at Coseley and Ettingshall, near those of Bilston, and give employment to a vast number of workmen. Several hundred hands are also employed at their own homes in making nails and fire irons. The main coal here is 10 yards thick, and is well suited to the use of the furnaces, the forges, and the smithies.
Sedgley village is very extensive, and occupies an elevated situation on the high road, three miles S of Wolverhampton, and three miles NNW of Dudley. Between Sedgley and Wolverhampton is Sedgley Park, an ancient seat of the Dudleys, which has long been used as a Roman Catholic Academy. Ellows Hall, on the west side of the parish, belongs to JL Bickley, Esq, but is now unoccupied.
Brierley is a district of scattered houses, two miles NE of Sedgley.
Broad Lane and Lady Moor are adjoining hamlets, two miles NNE of Sedgley, and within half a mile SW of Bilston.
Can Lane is a long street of houses, three quarters of a mile ENE of Sedgley.
Coseley is a populous but straggling village and district, two miles E of Sedgley.
Cotwall End is a district three quarters of a mile SW of Sedgley, occupied chiefly by nailors, and a few farmers.
Deepfield has a number of scattered houses in the coal and iron district, one mile SW of Bilston. Here is a tunnel of the Birmingham Canal, 1090 feet long, 25 feet broad, and 17 feet high from the surface of the water.
Ettingshall is a large mining village, about a mile SW of Bilston, with surrounding suburbs in Ettingshall Lane, Catchem's Corner, etc, extending into Bilston and Wolverhampton townships. The Rev JL Petit has a large estate here, which was anciently a park, but has long been disfigured by extensive coal and iron works, and quarries of limestone. A large number of houses, which were thrown down or rendered untenable in consequence of the mining excavations under them, were rebuilt a few years ago on the adjoining pit banks, and now compose Ettingshall New Village.
Goldthorn Hill is partly in Wolverhampton and Penn parishes, where new water works are constructing.
Lower Gornal was a chapelry to Sedgley and details can be found on the Lower Gornal page.
Upper Gornal is a rapidly improving village, about one and a half miles NW of Dudley, and near the lofty limestone hill which is crowned by the ruins of Dudley Castle. It gives name to an ecclesiastical district, comprising several adjacent hamlets, coal and iron works, freestone quarries, and brick yards.
Gospel End is a district half a mile W of Sedgley.
Gospel Oak is a scattered hamlet, partly in Tipton parish, two miles W of Wednesbury. Part of it is now called Wednesbury Oak, from the seat and extensive coal and iron works of Messrs P Williams and Sons.
Mason's Bank is a village in the Coseley division, two miles NW of Dudley.
Prince's End is a large village, partly in Tipton parish, two and a quarter miles N by E of Dudley. Here are extensive coal and iron works.
Ruiton is a village and district adjoining Upper Gornal, occupying a fine lofty eminence, which had formerly a beacon, in which the Malvern Hills (38 miles away), the Wrekin, and many of the mountains of Wales may be seen on a clear day.
Sodom is a hamlet adjoining Can Lane, one mile ENE of Sedgley.
Wood Setton, half a mile SE of Sedgley, is a scattered hamlet, occupied by farmers, fire-iron makers, etc."
[From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851]
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'The Story of the Ancient Manor of Sedgley'
by EA Underhill
Published 1942, by EA Underhill, Tipton.
'Sedgley Sundries'
by Edward Nayler
Published c1904, printed by Page & Pratt, London.
'The Story of the Parish Church of All Saints, Sedgley'
by Percy Thoresby Jones
Published 1935, by British Publishing Co, Gloucester
Second Ed published 1950, by British Publishing Co.
'Pedigrees of Gibbons of Sedgley, Co Stafford, also Keeling of Sedgley, and of Russell of Wednesbury, Co Stafford'
Reprinted from 'Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica'
by William George Dimock Fletcher
Published 1918, Mitchell Hughes & Clarke, London
'The History of Sedgley Park School, Staffordshire'
by Frederick Charles Husenbeth, DD
Published 1856, by Richardson & Son, London.
'Around Sedgley in Old Photographs'
by Trevor Genge
Published 1995, by Alan Sutton, Stroud, Gloucestershire. ISBN 0-7509-0844-0
'Sedgley & District in Old Photographs. A Second Selection'
by Trevor Genge
Published 1997, by Alan Sutton, Stroud, Gloucestershire. ISBN 0-7509-1486-6
'Sedgley & District in Old Photographs. A Third Selection'
by Trevor Genge
Published 1999, by Alan Sutton, Stroud, Gloucestershire. ISBN 0-7509-2215-X
'Sedgley, Coseley & The Gornals in Old Photographs.'
by Trevor Genge
Published 2001, by Alan Sutton, Stroud, Gloucestershire. ISBN 0-7509-2673-2
'Sedgley & District in Old Photographs. A Fifth Selection'
by Trevor Genge
Published 2004, by Alan Sutton, Stroud, Gloucestershire. ISBN 0-7509-3505-7
'Sedgley Probate Inventories, 1614-1787'
by John S Roper
Published 1960, (privately printed), Woodsetton, Worcestershire.
A transcript of the monumental inscriptions of the parish church of All Saints, Sedgley, has been published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.
A transcript of the monumental inscriptions of St Chad & All Saints Roman Catholic Church, Sedgley, has been published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.
A transcript of the monumental inscriptions of Christ Church, Coseley has been published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.
A transcript of the monumental inscriptions of Christ Church, Gough Road Graveyard, Coseley has been published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.
The population of Sedgley parish (including Lower Gornal chapelry) was as follows:
1801 -- 9874
1811 -- 13937
1821 -- 17195
1831 -- 20577
1841 -- 24819
1851 -- 29447
1861 -- 36637
1871 -- 37355
1881 -- 36574
1891 -- 36860
1901 -- 38170
A surname index only of the 1851 census for Sedgley is included in the 1851 Staffordshire Census Surname Index Vol 16, Dudley District, Part 2 (Sedgley) published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.
A surname index only of the 1891 census for Sedgley (PRO Ref RG12/2287-2292) is included in the 1891 Census Surname & Folio Index for Dudley, Sedgley & Wolverhampton & District published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.
Church of England History
"Sedgley parish church, All Saints, was repaired 1826-9 by the late Earl Dudley & Ward, and has a handsome tower, surmounted by a lofty spire, and containing eight bells. The vicarage is in the patronage of Lord Ward, and the Rev William Lewis, MA, is the incumbent.
Lower Gornal formed a chapelry to Sedgley parish and details of the church can be found on the Lower Gornal page.
The parish was later divided into five ecclesiastical districts, Sedgley, Lower Gornal, Upper Gornal, Ettingshall, and Coseley, and further churches erected to serve the latter three districts:
Upper Gornal church, St Peter, erected in 1841, is a small neat structure in the early English style, lately improved by the addition of a chancel with a memorial window to the late incumbent, the Rev S Montgomery. The perpetual curacy is in the patronage of the Vicar of Sedgley, and incumbency of the Rev AP Hughes.
Ettingshall Church, Holy Trinity, was erected in 1834-5, and constructed chiefly of timber, so firmly bound that the building might stand, even if the ground beneath, which is undermined, should in places sink or be rent. The perpetual curacy is in the patronage of the Bishop of Lichfield and incumbency of the Rev Frederick Williams.
Christ Church, Coseley was erected in 1830, of brick, cased in stone, in the plain Gothic style, with a tower and a peal of eight bells.. The perpetual curacy is in the patronage of Lord Ward, and incumbency of the Rev WF Vane, MA, who is assisted by two curates."
[From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851]
A view of All Saints Church, Sedgley.
A view of Christ Church, Coseley.
Nonconformist Church History
"In Sedgley is a Roman Catholic Chapel (St Chad & All Saints), built in 1823, in the Gothic style, with a low tower, and a large burial ground. The Rev Thomas Tysan is the priest.
The Wesleyan Chapels in the parish are at Ladymoor (built in 1848), Ettingshall, Coseley, Upper Gornal, Gospel-End, Bradley, Mamble Square, Can Lane, and Wallbrook.
The Baptist Chapels are at Coseley, Coppice, and Dark Lane, the latter of which is called Dark-house Chapel.
The New Connexion Methodists have a chapel at Lower Gornal, and the Primitive Methodists at Sodom, Prince's End and Sedgley. The Unitarians have a chapel at Coseley, and the Independents at Ruiton."
[From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851]
Postcard of St Chad & All Saints RC Church c1915.
Church of England Registers
The register of the parish church of All Saints commences in 1558. The original registers for the period 1558-1964 (Bapts), 1558-1964 (Mar) & 1558-1985 (Bur) and Banns for the period 1870-1872 are deposited at Dudley Archives & Local History Service.
Bishops Transcripts, 1673-1853 (with gaps 1711-14, 1733, 1793-94 (Mar), 1803 (Bapts) & 1837-53 (Mar)) are deposited at Lichfield Record Office.
The original registers of Christ Church, Coseley for the period 1830-2004 (Bapts), 1837-2008 (Mar), & 1830-1984 (Bur) are deposited at Dudley Archives & Local History Service.
The original registers of St Peter, Upper Gornal for the period 1844-1958 (Bapts), 1844-1976 (Mar), & 1859-1968 (Bur) are deposited at Dudley Archives & Local History Service.
The original registers of Holy Trinity, Ettingshall for the period 1835-1961 (Bapts) & 1847-1970 (Mar) are deposited at Staffordshire Record Office.
A transcript of the registers of All Saints, Sedgley, 1558-1684 was published by the Staffordshire Parish Register Society in 1941 and has been reprinted by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.
A transcript of the registers of All Saints, Sedgley, 1781-1831 (Marriages only) has been published jointly by the Staffordshire Parish Register Society and the Birmingham & Midland SGH.
A transcript of the registers of Christ Church, Coseley, 1830-1837 (Bapt & Bur) has been published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.
Wolverhampton Archives have placed on line indexes of the Holy Trinity, Ettingshall registers covering Baptisms 1835-1903 & Marriages 1835-1903
Note : They are included in the "Wolverhampton & District Parish Registers" Index
Nonconformist Registers
The following nonconformist registers are deposited at Staffordshire Record Office (SRO) or the Public Record Office (PRO):
Coseley, Coppice Chapel Particular Baptist, 1796-1834 (Births) (PRO)
Coseley, Daisy Bank Methodist New Conexion, 1939-1958 (Mar) (SRO)
Coseley, Old Meeting Presbyterian, 1779-1837 (Births & Bapts), 1804-37 (Bur) (PRO)
Coseley, Providence Chapel, Baptist / Independent, 1809-37 (Bapts) (PRO)
Upper Gornal, Congregational, 1815-1837 (Births & Bapts), 1792-1837 (Bur) (PRO)
Sedgley, Darkhouse Chapel, Baptist, 1822-1837 (Births) (PRO)
A transcript of surrendered nonconformist registers of Coseley & Sedgley has been published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.
Wolverhampton Archives have placed on line transcripts of the registers of the Wolverhampton Circuit Methodist Registers 1726-1968. These include transcripts for the following Methodist Registers in Sedgley Parish:
Can Lane (later Hurst Hill) Wesleyan Methodist 1848-1920
George Street, Ettingshall Wesleyan Methodist, Baptisms 1825-1900
Parkfield Primitive Methodist 1886-1991
Parkfield Primitive Methodist (top chapel) 1849 on
Cold Lanes Primitive 1873-1961
Note that almost all burials in the Wolverhampton Circuit took place at Swan Bank Wesleyan Chapel, and the remainder at Bradley Wesleyan Chapel)
The original registers of St Chad & All Saints Catholic Church, Sedgley for the period 1795-1874 (Bapts), 1817-1859 (Mar) & 1801-1900 (Deaths) are deposited at Birmingham Diocesan Archives.
Microfilm of the registers of St Chad & All Saints Catholic Church, Sedgley for the period 1795-1874 (Bapts), 1817-1859 (Mar) & 1801-1900 (Deaths) are deposited at Dudley Archives & Local History Service.
A transcription of the section on Sedgley from A Topographical History of Staffordshire by William Pitt (1817)
'The Trades Directory of Wolverhampton, Wednesfield, Bilston, Willenhall, Sedgley, Tipton, Wednesbury, Darlaston & Moxley' was published by Jones & Co, London, in 1862.
'Hulley's Directory of the Parliamentary Borough of Wolverhampton, which includes Bilston, Sedgley, Wednesfield & Willenhall' was published by J Hulley, Birmingham, in 1874.
The transcription of the section for Sedgley from the Topographical Dictionary of England (1859)
The transcription of the section for Sedgley from the National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.
The transcription of the section for Sedgley from the Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72)
- Ask for a calculation of the distance from Sedgley to another place.
Ian Beach's Ancient Manor of Sedgley pages include a wealth of genealogical and historical material of the parish including census and directory listings and church histories and photographs.
The transcription of the section for the history of Sedgley from the National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.
You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SO917936 (Lat/Lon: 52.540193, -2.123808), Sedgley which are provided by:
- OpenStreetMap
- Google Maps
- StreetMap (Current Ordnance Survey maps)
- Bing (was Multimap)
- Old Maps Online
- National Library of Scotland (Old Ordnance Survey maps)
- Vision of Britain (Click "Historical units & statistics" for administrative areas.)
- English Jurisdictions in 1851 (Unfortunately the LDS have removed the facility to enable us to specify a starting location, you will need to search yourself on their map.)
- Magic (Geographic information) (Click + on map if it doesn't show)
- GeoHack (Links to on-line maps and location specific services.)
- All places within the same township/parish shown on an Openstreetmap map.
- Nearby townships/parishes shown on an Openstreetmap map.
- Nearby places shown on an Openstreetmap map.
A transcription of the Muster Roll of 1539 for Sedgley
Sedgley parish became part of Dudley Union following the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834.
The Manor of Sedgley had the right of probate of wills. The wills and inventories for the period 1614 - early 19c are enrolled in the Sedgley Manorial Court Books deposited at Dudley Archives & Local History Service.
A copy of a transcript of Sedgley Wills and Inventories by JS Roper & NW Tildesley is also available at Dudley Archives & Local History Service.
Historical information on Sedgley schools from Ian Beach's Ancient Manor of Sedgley school pages
The Sedgley Local History Society pages include a wealth of local history information.